Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for treating wastewater in a sewage treatment system and more particularly, to a wastewater treatment system for treating wastewater effluent flowing from a wastewater treatment plant through a wastewater or sewer line and specially designed chlorine treatment tablets for use with the wastewater treatment system. In a preferred embodiment the wastewater treatment system includes an elongated wastewater flow conduit which is inserted lengthwise in the wastewater or sewer line or pipe and a cylindrical tablet loading neck fitted with a removable lid and, optionally, with a tablet loading sleeve, extends upwardly in perpendicular relationship from the wastewater flow conduit. A tablet support rod extends through the lid and tablet loading neck or tablet loading sleeve and the flanged end of the rod terminates in the wastewater flow conduit. Multiple chlorine treatment tablets, each fitted with a central rod opening, are slidably mounted on the tablet support rod in stacked relationship in the wastewater flow conduit and tablet loading neck or sleeve. As the treatment tablets contained in the wastewater flow conduit are dissolved by the flowing wastewater, the tablets located in the tablet loading neck or sleeve descend by gravity on the tablet support rod into the conduit to replace the dissolved tablets. In another embodiment the tablet support rod is slidably mounted in the lid and a coil spring interposed between the lid and a nut threaded on the tablet support rod above the lid, biases the tablet support rod upwardly through the lid. When it is loaded with treatment tablets, the tablet support rod is weighted downwardly against the bias of the spring and as the treatment tablets are dissolved by the flowing wastewater in the wastewater flow conduit, the tablet support rod slides upwardly through the lid and the upwardly-displaced rod visually indicates the need for reloading the rod with tablets. In another embodiment an alarm switch element of an alarm system is attached to the upper end of the tablet support rod and upward displacement of the rod through the lid activates the alarm switch and alarm to indicate the need for reloading the treatment system with tablets. In still another embodiment the tablet support rod is biased upwardly by a deformable membrane which spans the lid and engages a nut threaded on the rod. In yet another embodiment, a tablet support tube extends downwardly through the lid and tablet loading neck and terminates in the wastewater flow conduit. A photoelectric sensor wired to an audible or visual alarm is inserted in the upper end of the tablet support tube, and that portion of the tube extending into the wastewater flow conduit is fitted with a transparent window. The stacked treatment tablets slidably mounted on the tablet support tube in the wastewater flow conduit initially cover the transparent window, and as they are dissolved in the flowing wastewater, the transparent window is uncovered, allowing light to enter the tablet support tube and activate the photoelectric sensor and alarm, thereby indicating the need for replacing treatment tablets in the treatment system. In still another embodiment a transparent window is also provided in that portion of the tablet support tube which extends through the tablet loading neck and the photoelectric sensor and alarm are activated as the tablets initially covering that part of the tube descend into the wastewater flow conduit to replace the dissolved tablets, thereby indicating the need for reloading tablets in the tablet loading neck.
Conventional sewage treatment systems include a primary treatment tank or plant which is designed to treat raw sewage flowing into the treatment plant from a structure such as a home or business. Effluent from the treatment plant is directed through a horizontal wastewater or sewer pipe into a vertical treatment riser, the upper end of which is closed by a removable lid and the bottom end of the treatment riser terminates in a holding tank for the effluent. Round chlorine tablets are typically dropped in the treatment riser to facilitate further treatment of effluent entering the treatment riser from the sewer pipe. One of the problems inherent in this method of loading the treatment riser, is that the treatment tablets frequently enter the treatment riser in tilted configuration, and this sometimes causes the treatment tablets to become lodged or jammed in the treatment riser, often causing backflow of effluent through the sewer pipe.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved wastewater treatment system and specially designed, perforated chlorine tablets for treating wastewater effluent flowing from a primary treatment plant.
Another object of this invention is to provide a wastewater treatment system characterized by a wastewater flow conduit which is inserted along the length or run of a wastewater or sewer pipe distributing wastewater effluent from a primary sewage treatment plant, a tablet loading neck extending upwardly from the wastewater flow conduit and a tablet support rod which extends downwardly through the tablet loading neck into the wastewater flow conduit, and upon which is slidably mounted multiple, perforated chlorine tablets in stacked relationship, wherein the chlorine tablets mounted on that portion of the tablet support rod extending into the wastewater flow conduit are dissolved by the flowing wastewater effluent and the treatment tablets contained in the tablet loading neck descend on the tablet support rod to replace the dissolved tablets.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a wastewater treatment system characterized by a wastewater flow conduit which is mounted in a wastewater or sewer pipe and a tablet loading neck optionally provided with a tablet loading sleeve, extending upwardly perpendicular relationship from the wastewater flow conduit. The tablet support rod is slidably extended through a lid provided on the upper end of the tablet loading neck and multiple treatment tablets are slidably mounted on the tablet support rod in stacked relationship in the wastewater flow conduit and tablet loading neck or sleeve. When loaded with treatment tablets, the upwardly-biased tablet support rod is weighted downwardly and as the treatment tablets contained in the wastewater flow conduit are dissolved, the treatment tablets contained in the tablet loading neck or sleeve descend by gravity on the tablet support rod and replace the dissolved tablets, and the tablet support rod moves upwardly through the lid and is either visually inspected or activates an alarm switch attached to the upper end of the rod to indicate the need for refilling the treatment system with tablets.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a wastewater treatment system characterized by a wastewater flow conduit which is installed in a wastewater effluent sewer pipe, a tablet loading neck extending upwardly from the wastewater flow conduit and a tablet support tube extending through the tablet loading neck and terminating in the waste water flow conduit. A photoelectric sensor is inserted in the upper end of the tablet support tube and a transparent window is provided in that portion of the tablet support tube which extends into the wastewater flow conduit. Multiple chlorine treatment tablets slidably mounted on the tablet support tube in stacked relationship, initially cover the transparent window and as the chemical treatment tablets are dissolved in the flowing effluent, the transparent window is uncovered, such that light enters the tablet support tube and activates the photoelectric sensor and alarm to indicate the need for refilling the treatment system with chlorine tablets.